Disagreement produces debate but dissent produces dissension. Dissent (which come from the Latin, dis and sentire) means originall...y to feel apart from others. People who disagree have an argument, but people who dissent have a quarrel. People may disagree and both may count themselves in the majority. But a person who dissents is by definition in a minority. A liberal society thrives on disagreement but is killed by dissension. Disagreement is the life blood of democracy, dissension is its cancer.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

... when a great burly six feet of masculinity with sloping shoulders and unkempt beard swaggers in, and, throwing a roll of tobac...co into one corner of his jaw, growls out at me over the paper I am reading, "Here gurl," (I am past thirty) "you better git out 'n dis kyar 'f yer don't, I'll put yer out"Mmy mental annotation is Here's an American citizen who has been badly trained. He is sadly lacking in both "sweetness" and "light" ...LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

In dis world dey's many folks think dey's alive as ain't alive. Dey's alive accordin' to de whited sepulchers o' de world and dead... accordin' to de sperits o' de prophets. It's dem dey ought to cart away in hearses, brethren! It's dem dat's felt tingle within 'em de breath o' de Lawd, like a bird, like a maukin' in de woods, a song full o' warm honey, and all de same ain't follered de call, but has carried deir sperits in a hearse at de end o' de parade of de pomp o' de world. Hit's dem dat dade! Hit's dem dat's dade!LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

Children, I talks to God and God talks to me. I goes out and talks to God in de fields and de woods. Dis morning I was walking out..., and I got over de fence. I saw de wheat a holding up its head, looking very big. I goes up and takes holt ob it. You b'lieve it, dere was no wheat dare? I says, God, what is de matter wid dis wheat? and he says to me, "Sojourner, dere is a little weasel in it." Now I hears talkin' about de Constitution and de rights of man. I comes up and I takes hold of dis Constitution. it looks mighty big, and I feels for my rights, but der aint any dare. Den, I says, God, what ails dis Constitution? He says to me, "Sojourner, dere is a little weasel in it."I carry no weapon; the Lord will reserve [i.e., preserve] me without weapons, I feel safe even in the midst of my enemies; for the truth is powerful and will prevail.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »

I had crossed de line of which I had so long been dreaming. I was free; but dere was no one to welcome me to de land of freedom. I... was a stranger in a strange land, and my home after all was down in de old cabin quarter, wid de ole folks, and my brudders and sisters. But to dis solemn resolution I came; I was free, and dey should be free also; I would make a home for dem in de North, and de Lord helping me, I would bring dem all dere.LESSATTRIBUTION DETAIL »